The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has proudly declared that all SIM cards now utilized within Nigeria are manufactured domestically. This significant achievement marks a complete reversal from previous reliance on imports, signifying a major milestone for indigenous participation in the nation's telecommunications sector.

Babagana Digima, Head of New Media and Information Security at the NCC, unveiled this development during a two-day media training session in Lagos titled “Upskilling Media Stakeholders on Trends in Telecommunications.” Digima emphasized that the NCC's dedicated efforts, primarily spearheaded by the Nigeria Office for Development in the Indigenous Telecommunications Sector (NODITS), were instrumental in promoting local content and fostering indigenous involvement. He recalled that before NODITS' intervention, almost all SIM cards in Nigeria were imported, but now, a remarkable 100% are locally produced.

Digima, who formerly led NODITS, elaborated on the commission's comprehensive initiatives aimed at bolstering local manufacturing across the telecommunications industry. Beyond SIM cards, NODITS has provided crucial grants and incentives to various companies, including supporting the production of Corrugated Ordinal Duct and encouraging the domestic manufacturing of essential telecom infrastructure such as telecom towers and fibre cables. He specifically highlighted Coleman Cables, a Nigerian manufacturer, which has significantly expanded its production capacity, now surpassing its Egyptian counterparts. NODITS' establishment stemmed directly from the NCC’s mandate under Sections 1D to F of its Act, which explicitly calls for encouraging the participation of indigenous telecom companies.

At the same event, Dr. Aminu Maida, the Executive Vice-Chairman of the NCC, whose address was delivered by Engr. Abraham Oshadami, the Executive Commissioner for Technical Services, underscored the critical importance of enhancing communication between the commission and the public. He recognized the pivotal role of media professionals from print, broadcast, and online platforms in this endeavor. Maida explained that the training aimed to build a reliable database of media partners and cultivate strategic relationships with stakeholders to help shape the industry landscape and ensure consumers are well-informed about sectoral developments.

The journey towards this indigenous manufacturing triumph has a notable backstory. In June 2022, the then Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, announced the establishment of a SIM card manufacturing plant in Lagos under the Buhari administration. This was followed by a definitive pronouncement in August 2022 by Nigeria’s Federal Government, imposing a ban on the importation of SIM cards. Pantami unequivocally stated that the government would no longer tolerate SIM card imports, asserting that Nigeria was now producing them locally. He articulated an ambitious goal: to achieve at least 80 percent self-reliance in the ICT sector by 2025 through increased indigenous content.

Approximately a year later, at the 2nd edition of the Nigerian Telecommunications Indigenous Content EXPO (NTICE) 2023, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, then executive vice-chairman of the NCC, highlighted the profound economic benefits of the import ban. He reported that the ban had eased the burden on the sector's demand for foreign exchange and generated over ₦55 billion in business for local SIM card manufacturers, consequently creating numerous direct and indirect jobs. Danbatta emphasized that embracing indigenous content and value creation within the telecoms value chain is indispensable for sustaining and improving the Quality of Service and Quality of Experience in telecommunications services across Nigeria, warning that without it, an increase in telecom tariffs would be inevitable. He lauded Nigeria's rich history of innovation, resilience, creativity, diverse culture, talents, and perspectives, which have collectively birthed unique solutions tailored to the nation's specific challenges and aspirations.